The list of those invited to the inauguration of U.S. 47th President Donald Trump shows that this presidency will be a source of conflict for many America’s allies from Brussels to Kiev. Among others, Trump will welcome in Washington some leaders of the parties which EU considers far-right, although having decided to not to invite official leaders of European Union states. And this is just the beginning of their humiliation.
The U.S. president’s inauguration, like with most other presidents, is an internal affair, almost a family occasion, which makes if different from, say, a coronation to which it is customary to invite top officials. This is why ambassadors usually represent foreign states at this ceremony in Washington, or nobody at all.
But, on top of national officials who must be there, the new president can invite anyone he wants to the inaugural event. Well, who can stop him? He is now the president.
The list of persons invited to Donald Trump’s inauguration suggests that the world is going to see some changes.
Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to be part of this list more than others. According to Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., the Ukrainian asked about this three times. And now, having failed to get an official invitation, he is pretending to be awfully busy with domestic affairs: well, you know, the war is out there.
The relations between Zelensky and Trump Jr. is quite a fancy story of sorts, while being a standard, almost a classic one. For some reason, Trump’s heir dislikes Kiev’s ‘chieftain’ and regularly trolls him with ‘unpleasant truth’ of all kinds. And Zelensky, being full of himself and boorish, cannot respond to him, because the attacker is the chief’s son, as simple as that.
On the other hand, Zelensky can now associate himself as a real part of Europe he was dreaming of. Because EU leaders were not invited to the ceremony either, except for Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán. He eventually reported to be busy while understanding very well that Trump would not hold a grudge after a solid relationship track record between him and Trump.
There is nothing new about the absence of invitations for European top leaders to visit the American inauguration. He did not invite them and did not have to do so, as this event is almost a family occasion like we stated above.
What makes it a sensation is that Trump lets foes of the European elite ‘close to family’.
The leader of UK Reform party Nigel Farage will arrive from Britain. Co-chair, Alternative for Germany, Tino Chrupalla will represent Germany. Marion Maréchal Le Pen, the niece of Marine Le Pen and an avid supporter of the French withdrawal from NATO, will join from Brussels considered to be EU’s capital city.
They are not rivals of the European elite, they are their enemies. The incumbent authorities of respective countries refuse to treat Eurosceptics as rivals among overall political competition. For them, this is a curse, plague, a threat to fundamental principles, which they tried to address by creating an atmosphere of untouchable (no to be mixed up with immunity) around ‘far-right’ and ‘extremist’ parties.
But what Europe considers extremist is now mainstreamed in U.S. And Trump is outwardly hinting at his vision of the future Europe. Or, to be more precise, at who will control it.
Well, Trump’s hints are just half of the trouble. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, who has gained significant leverage with Trump and has been acting vigorously, is directly stating that a change of power is needed: to AfD in Germany, to Reform UK in Britain and so on.
Musk dislikes Farage personally (he prefers the younger generation of English nationalists) though, but this does not make things better for the current British authorities: the ruling Labour party rating is just one point higher than the rating of Farage’s folks: 26 versus 25 per cent. If the election took place right now, the gap would be very tight.
All this should cause grim sentiments among European elites, confuse them, make them hurry up and make new mistakes. This is what shows Trump’s true value, as the best he has is that he treats Russia’s enemies and other unpleasant folks as enemies. Sadly, there is a risk it can be his only advantage in the long run. And the situation of inviting ‘untouchables’ to the festivities in Washington is also hinting at that.
Strictly put, this is an interference of the American president and his friendly multi-billionaire in foreign states’ domestic politics. Or redefining Europe’s control in the long-term. Earlier American liberals pushed European liberals and now conservatives will push conservatives.
Berlin, London, Paris and the European Commission are gritting their teeth, but indeed no country’s leadership could like and should not like it when the opposition is invited to the inauguration. This is the same old American neocolonialism reheated.
It is hard to accuse Trump, as preserving control over Europe is a task any U.S. president should have. And at the same time, he is throwing his weight around, trolling European adversaries, well, he is being himself, the same Trump whom American voters have elected, no matter good or bad.
Questions to be asked to his European guests are more likely? Because they, unlike Trump, are not consistent in what they are doing.
For example, just a month ago Tino Chrupalla urged to think of Germany’s withdrawal from NATO because of U.S. special influence there. ‘Europe has been forced to implement America’s interests. We (AfD) reject that’, he stated indignantly in December. And then he visited the inauguration in January.
Clearly, Trump’s case is special. And also due to this, the new generation political leaders should use some political caution.
A conflict between U.S. and Europe during Trump’s office is inevitable. The list of invitees confirms by itself that this will be an acute, aggressive, ideologized conflict. But this conflict will not boil down to disputes over transgender persons’ and migrants’ rights as the European right would prefer it to be.
It is very likely Washington will wage ‘a tariff war’ against Europe. Besides, the generally known Trump’s requirement is to have NATO members raise defence costs to 5 per cent of GDP, which AfD’s and other voters would largely repulse, as this would mean new economic challenges to them.
In a nutshell, Trump’s return may cost a lot both for European businesses and European commoners whose interests Eurosceptic parties are willing to represent bringing up their countries’ national interests.
If this is so, what exactly did they celebrate in Washington on January 20?
Trump gave no reason to think he would be a kind daddy for anyone. An encounter with him due to ideological sympathy today can be taken for cooperating with an enemy tomorrow.
And it is not because Trump is Trump. But because U.S. remains U.S. With any president.